Bobby (Stuart Getz) is a Los Angeles teenager who blows all his college savings on buying a custom Dodge van – complete with waterbed, TV, minibar and mirrored ceiling – to pick up girls and spruce up his dull life, all while trying to win money racing other vans in order to pay for his own.
Danny DeVito received a prominent co-star billing but appears in the movie for all of seven minutes in a total of six scenes.
Although the song Chevy Van by Sammy Johns appears throughout the soundtrack, the titular Van (named “Straight Arrow”) is actually a 1977 Dodge van which was built and outfitted by legendary car customiser George Barris.
A 1972 Dodge cargo van (with no custom interior) was dressed to look like the 1977 van for the drag racing scenes.
Bobby
Stuart Getz
Tina
Deborah White
Jack
Harry Moses
Sue
Marcie Barkin
Steve
Bill Adler
Dugan
Stephen Oliver
Sally
Connie Hoffman
Andy
Danny DeVito
Tom
Jim Kester
Jim
Michael Gitomer
Friendly
Howard Dayton
Mr Hump
Donald Elson
Nora Hampton
Jean Howell
Henry Hampton
Walter Maslow
Bertha
Lillian McBride
Director
Sam Grossman